Crispy

The storm cleared out around 3pm yesterday, bringing with it a cold front. For those without power, I hope you've found a place to stay warm! I know our place wouldn't hold up to 19 degree weather for long without heat.

I awoke this morning and headed out to the Commons for a 5-mile run before work. I put on my Inov-8 screw shoes, and figured they would really get a good test today as there was an inch or two of crispy, frozen, granular packed ice and junk on the ground. As I headed out from the field house, the full moon was still shining brightly in the sky, while to the east the sun was rising above the treetops. The trees shimmered, their ice-covered limbs reflecting the light. Beautiful.

However, seeing all these trees covered in ice also meant there were a lot of downed limbs and bent trees in the woods. The pine boughs snap and break; the poor whispy and delicate birches get bent to the ground. So sad. It also made the route through the Commons a bit of an obstacle course! I was very happy to have the screw shoes, as I felt secure chugging along, my feet digging into the granular and gripping on the icy crust. Despite that, as with any running done in the snow (or on the sand), the going was a bit tough and I had to put in a bit more effort than I would have liked. This was reflected in the extra time it took me to run the out-and-back route today.

That being said, it was nice to be out in the cold, crisp air, enjoying the quiet of the morning woods, which was broken only by the falling of icicles from the trees above, and the crunch of the snow and ice beneath my feet.